These delicious sourdough discard bagel bites are coated in everything bagel seasoning and served alongside this dreamy cream cheese honey dip. The combination of sweet and salty is a match made in heaven.

Such a great dish to serve at your next special occasion, whether it's a potluck, birthday dinner or even your next game day celebration.

If you love sourdough bagels, you might also love these overnight sourdough bagels, sourdough pumpkin bagels, cinnamon raisin sourdough bagels or sourdough rye bagels.

Sourdough discard bagel bites served with a bowl of honey cream cheese dip. There is a bite taken out of the one in the middle showing the soft crumb inside.

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

Just Like Bagels ... But Bite Sized - this recipe encompasses everything you love about sourdough bagels ... and makes it bite sized! And everything tastes better bite sized, right?

Let's Talk About That Dip - The honey cream cheese dip is one of the best reasons to make these sourdough discard bagel bites! It's sweet, creamy and outright delicious. The perfect accompaniment to the salty bagel bites.

Endless Flavor Variations - just like regular sized bagels, these sourdough discard bagel bites can be changed to create all sorts of flavors. I've used Everything Bagel Seasoning, but you are only limited by your imagination!

A bowl of honey cream cheese dip swirled with raw honey. The bowl is surrounded by sourdough bagel bites coated in everything bagel seasoning.

How To Make Sourdough Discard Bagel Bites

I recommend using a stand mixer for this recipe as it is a stiff dough and can easily be kneaded in a stand mixer. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can still make these by hand (I've done it many times by hand, it will just take a bit of work to knead the dough - make sure you read my notes for this).

Add sourdough starter, water, yeast, flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer and bring together to form a shaggy dough.

Knead the dough (you'll need to use a dough hook for stand mixers) for around 10 minutes until it is smooth and supple. Be sure to give your stand mixer a break every few minutes so it doesn't over heat.This is a stiff dough (much like sandwich bread dough) so it won't be super elastic, however it should be smooth and not sticky.

Once the dough is sufficiently kneaded, you'll need to allow it to rise, covered with plastic, at room temperature.You want the dough to double and be puffy and soft. As we are using added yeast, this won't take too long, but it is a low hydration dough so give it a little extra time than normal.

Once the dough has risen, you'll need to shape the bagel bites. It's quite simple, you just need a little patience.Divide the bagel dough into smaller portions. I like making mine 20 to 30g, but you can do bigger or smaller if you prefer.

Take each portion of dough and shape it into a little ball. I like to pinch the dough underneath to form a tight round ball, but you can also roll them if you prefer.

Cover the bagel bites with a dish towel and allow them become lovely and puffy.

Once they are puffy, place them into the freezer for around 15 minutes to set.

While they are setting in the freezer, bring a pot of water with 40g of honey added to the boil and preheat your oven to 200C/390F.

When the water is boiling, carefully place 10 - 12 bagel bites into the boiling water at a time. You want to boil them for around 20 seconds each. They should float to the surface and that's when you know to take them out.

Carefully remove the bagel bites from the boiling water using a slotted spoon. Lay the bagel bites onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Using a pastry brush, brush on the egg wash mixture and then dip into Everything But The Bagel seasoning.

Bake the bagel bites for around 15 to 20 minutes at 200C/390F. Remove them from the oven when they are golden brown.

Allow them to cool before you enjoy them!

How To Make Honey Cream Cheese Dip

This dip is life changing. Ok, so I say that about most dips, but trust me, it's so good (and so easy to make). I use this dip for lots of things, it's creamy sweetness pairs so well with all sorts of savory sourdough goodness!

We've recently got 5 beehives, so anytime I get to use our gorgeous honey I jump at the chance!

Simply add softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt and honey to a stand mixer bowl. Mix at speed 6 to 7 for around 2 minutes, or until the honey cream cheese is light and creamy.

Use a spatula to place into a serving dish and drizzle with remaining honey. You can use a skewer to create swirls in the top of the dip if you like (this is totally optional).

Serve alongside sourdough discard bagel bites.

A grey stoneware dish of honey cream cheese dip that has had fresh honey swirled into the top using a skewer. You can see the sourdough discard bagel bites sitting around the sides of the bowl of dip.

How To Store + Freeze

These sourdough discard pretzel bites are best enjoyed freshly baked, right out of the oven. They will stay fresh for around 12 hours, after that they will start to become stale. You could refresh them in the oven though, just warm them on a low heat.

They do freeze really well. Once baked and cooled, snap freeze them on a baking tray and then place them into a ziploc bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to use them, thaw at room temperature and then gently warm them in a moderate oven when you're ready to eat them. I don't recommend freezing the beer cheese dip as it tends to change the texture. I make this fresh when we want to use it (although it will last for up to 3 days in the fridge).